INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAIRA KALMAN: VARIOUS ILLUMINATIONS (OF A CRAZY WORLD) JANUARY 15–JUNE 6, 2010 OPENING RECEPTION: THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 6-8PM EXHIBITION WALKTHROUGH WITH ILLUSTRATOR MAIRA KALMAN AND EXHIBITION CURATOR INGRID SCHAFFNER: THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 5PM, ICA MEMBERS ONLY

PHILADELPHIA, PA

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania presents Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) January 15- June 6, 2010, the first major museum survey of the work of Maira Kalman. An illustrator, author and designer, Kalman illuminates contemporary life with a

profound sense of joy and unique sense of humor. Like a gift, her work appears to lift the spirits, no matter how ordinary or overwhelming circumstances may be. This exhibition features a selection spanning thirty years of original works on paper and design production, along with less widely seen aspects of Kalman’s work in photography, embroidery, textiles, and performance. As a context for this survey, Kalman is creating a special installation. The space will be furnished with chairs, ladders, and “many tables of many things”--such as fezzes, bobby pins, balls of string, things that have fallen out of books, lists, moss. Expressive of Kalman’s habits as a collector, traveler, reader, and avid walker, this installation offers a view of how she sees the world, both in and outside of the studio.

Maira Kalman (b. 1949 ) has lived in New York since the age of four. She received no formal training as an artist and identifies herself as an illustrator.

Indeed just as Saul Steinberg’s graphic art iconically depicted a postwar

Well, Susan, 2004-05 generation, so does Kalman’s reflect the idiosyncratic style and substance of Sunny Day at Park, 2007 life today. A generation grew up reading Oooh-La-La (Max in Love), the Le Corbusiersink, 2006 adventures of Max Stravinsky the Parisian dog poet and one of Kalman’s Man Dances on Salt, 2007 twelve books for children. Countless adults sport the M&Co. wristwatches she designed in collaboration with as part of a line of CONTACT accessories for the , New York. (Her late husband JILL KATZ named his company for the “M” in Maira.) Even our mental image of DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & Manhattan seemed different after her map of “New Yorkistan” (with COMMUNICATIONS cartoonist Rick Meyerowitz) appeared in December 2001 on the cover of The 215-573-9975 New Yorker--a welcome burst of humor after the tragic events of 9/11. In [email protected] April 2007, she completed a yearlong series of columns for The New York INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Times, since published as the book The Principles of Uncertainty. She has UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA created an illustrated edition of the classic reference Stunk and White’s The 118 SOUTH 36TH STREET Elements of Style; designed fabrics for Maharam and for the fashion designer PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104-3289 Isaac Mizrahi; created sets for the choreographer Mark Morris; and

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collaborated with composer on a site-specific opera for the . In Philadelphia, The Rosenbach Museum and Library has commissioned her to be one of the respondents to their outstanding Lincoln collection for a web project called “21st century Abe” in 2009.

This exhibition is curated by ICA Senior Curator Ingrid Schaffner and is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue (co-published with Prestel) with an essay by Schaffner and contributions by Donna Ghelerter, Stamatina Gregory, and Kenneth Silver.

Travel Dates Maria Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) premiers at ICA, then travels to the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco (July 1—October 26, 2010); Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles (November 16, 2010— February 13, 2011); and The Jewish Museum, New York (March 11—July 31, 2011).

ICA gratefully acknowledges Leonard and Louise Riggio and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. for generous support of this exhibition. ICA acknowledges Barbara B. & Theodore R. Aronson for their sponsorship of

the exhibition catalogue. We are also grateful for the support of Mari & Peter Shaw, Carol T. & John G. Finley, BZ & Michael Schwartz, Erica & Eric Schwartz and Anthropologie, Inc. Additional funding has been provided by the Barbara & Richard S. Lane Fund; Howard A. Silverstein & Patricia B. Silverstein Exhibition Endowment Fund; Joan & Hyman Sall; The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the

Arts; The Dietrich Foundation, Inc.; the Overseers Board for the Institute of Contemporary Art; friends and members of ICA; and the University of Pennsylvania. ICA is also grateful to The Chodorow Exhibition Initiative Fund for support of this exhibition’s tour. ICA also thanks the Julie Saul Gallery for in-kind support.

ALL PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE VISIT THE ICA WEBSITE, WWW.ICAPHILA.ORG, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROGRAMS IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAIRA KALMAN: VARIOUS ILLUMINATIONS (OF A CRAZY WORLD).

INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Beaton Living Room, 2006 Founded in 1963, the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania is The New Yorkistan, 2001 a leader in the presentation and documentation of contemporary art. Through R. Steinberg Camera, 2007 exhibitions, commissions, educational programs, and publications, ICA invites the public to share in the experience, interpretation and understanding of the work of Walter Benjamin, 2007 established and emerging artists.

*Checklist and images available upon request. GENERAL INFORMATION

ICA is located at: 118 South 36th Street at the University of Pennsylvania

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Free admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania for the public is sponsored by Glenn R. Fuhrman (W87/WG88) Fund.